Sprinkler head



Sept. 3o 1924.

A.. H, Y M.. T m.

N .A A nu E .z w 1L V R 5 W.. T L

D m nf E Tm M w ZE. I

C. T. CLIFFORD www En PEAU Filed Feb. 2-'1 WITNESS Patented Sept. 3Q, 1924,

nesten CURTIS T, CLIFFORD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SPRINKIIER HEAD.

Application led February 24:, 1919. Serial No. 278,620.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CUn'ris T. Cursors), a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco. State of California, have made a new and useful invention-to wit, an Improved Sprinkler Head; and I hereby declare the following to be a written description of the same in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it apertains or to which itis most nearly connected to make, construct, and use the same. The present invention is improved sprinkler head and relates more particularly to bonding links for sprinkler heads.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a composite link member, adapted to yieldably retain toggle members commonly employed in sprinkler heads of automatic lire extinguishers, and provided with means interposed between the component members of the bonding link for spreading the said members of the link when the fusible solder is melted.

In many instances the bonding links of sprinkler heads now in use have. failed in operation at critical times because of the'fact that the fusible solder used as a seal for the link at the moment of fusing and parting movement of the plate members of the link, becomes cooled from air or water under pre. sure escaping from the partly released disc. valve, and again bonds the plate members, thereby failing to completely release the valve.

My invention contemplates a leverage means for spreading the plate members of the bonding link which will positively part the said plates at the time the solder is fused and obviate the possibility of any particles of the fusible metal again bonding the I plates.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, I illustrate the invention in the form which I consider to be the best, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form because the invention may be embodied in other forms, and it is alsorto be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein I desire to cover the'inventionv in whatever form it may be embodied.

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings:

Figure l is a Side elevation of a typical sprinkler head with my invention installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same taken transversely to that of Fig. l, and looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig, l.

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of a bonding link plate.

4 is an edge view of the saine.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the other link plate.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of same.

Fig. '.7 is a side elevation of a spreading element.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 9 is a vertical central sectional view on a. larger scale, showing the members of the bonding link in locked relation.

Fig. l0 is a similar view illustrating the direction of pull applied to the plate members of the bonding link by the water pressure when the fusible metal has melted, and the effect of the spreader relative to the plates.

Fig. Il shows in detail the form of one of the plate members of the bonding link.

Fig. l2 is a side elevation of two plate members of modified form.

Referring to the drawings, the structure here shown comprises a nozzle 1 threaded as shown at Q for attachment to a water conveying system, and adapted to be sealed by the flat disc valve 3. Integral with the noz zle l and rising therefrom is a looplike frame lterminating at the top in a boss 6 opposite the valve disc 3 and coaxial tberewith.

Supported by the boss 6 and threaded into it is the stem of a water distributer 7, the lower threaded end of which pivotally engages one end of an elbow lever 8 which engages a similar elbow lever 9 pivoted at one end on the disc valve The elbow levers 8 and 9 are in reverse relation and have divergent arms terminating in opposed hooks ll and l2. The elbow levers 8 and 9 form a toggle joint adapted to securely hold the disc valve 3 seated.

The elbow lever 8 is provided with a wedge like tongue 13 which engages a groove 14: in the lever 9.

In assembling the sprinkler head the toggle joint is purposely placed out of alinement with the axial line of the distributor 7 and disc valve 3, so that the pressure in the nozzle or the resiliency of the sprinkler trame t will collapse the entire structure of the bonding link and unseat the valve 3V causing the Water to be disseminated by the distributer 7.

The parts which have been so far described are not in themselves neiv and form no part of the present invention although they bear a cooperative relationship to the novel elements hereinafter described.

Y rlhe toggle members 6 and 9 are held in the position shown in Figs.V 1 and r2 and the collapse of the structure prevented by a composite link composed of tivo plates 16 and 17 and an interposed spreader element or angle bar 18.

rllie plates 16 and 17 may be struck from blank metal or cast or pressed as desired. Each of the said plates bifurcatcd on one end as shown at 19. Q1 to form a clca ance respectively for the hooks 11 and 12. and each is also provided with a hole as shovfn at 22,23 for engaging respectively the hooks Y11 and 12.

The plate 16 is provided with a groove 2tladapted to engage one horizontal member or iiange ofthe angle bar 16 While the plate 17 is provided With a Wider, more shallow groove 26 adapted to snugly enclose the vertical member or fiange of the said angle bar 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9. This construction permits the assembly of the component parts of the bonding` link in the compact vertical alinement shown in'Fig. 1 in Which position they are secured by a suflicient quantity of fusible solder adapted to fuse at a temperature approximating 165 degrees.

l/Vhen the solder `is melted, the screw stress at toggle member 8 and pressure in the nozzle against the disc valve tends to spread the toggle members 8 and 9 of the toggle joint and exerts a pull in oppositie directions on the plates 16 and 17 secured respectively to hooks on arms 8 and 9. These opposed forces cause the angle bar 18 to heel over as shown in Fig. 10 and act as a Wedge spreading apart the said plates 16 and 17 which because of its angular shape prevents the plates 16 and 17 from returning to a contact position and the possibility of again becoming` bonded, thus insuring collapse of the entire link structure and releasing the disc valve 3.

It is obvious that at the slightest movement of the plates 16 and 17 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 10 the interposed angle bar immediately becomes effective as a spreader and it Will be impossible for any particles of the fusible metal to adhere or eolie-re to abort the operation of the device.

In Fig. 11 l'have shown an enlarged vieiv of the plate 17 in which the groove 26 is provided with a projection having oblique faces 28-29 meeting at a point 31. This construction facilitates the movement of the 1.510t44il member 18 and as the fulcrum point 31 engages the said member 18 the cut. away portion 28 affords clearancev for the member 18 When in the position shown in Fig. 10.

l do not limit myself to the construction of plate 17 as shown in FigL 11 as thesame object can be obtained by a slight offset in both plates 16-and 17 away from the sheer line thus producing an off-center pull on angle bar 18 as shown inv Fig. 12.

Having thus described my invention, 1,vhat l Wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sprinkler head link constructed of tivo plate members each having a transverse groove at right angles to the proximate faces of the plates and constructedto conform one .vith one leg and the other with the other leg of an angle bar, Vand an angle bar disposed in the slots so formed.

2. A sprinkler head link constructedof tvo plate members each having aY tra-nsverse groove at right angles to the proximate faces of the plates and constructedto conform one with. one leg` and the other with the other leg ofV an angle bar, and an angle bar disposed in the slots soformed, and a solder Yjoint. between the proximate surfaces 3f the plates.

3. A sprinkler head link constructed of tivo plate members each having a transverse groove at right angles to the proximate faces of the plates and constructedy to conform one with one leg and the otherwviththe other leg of an angle bar, and an angle bar disposed in the slots so formed, and a solder joint` between the` proximate surfaces of the plates, said grooves beingslightly larger than said angle bar so that the barvvill tilt and spread the plates as they are oppositely vpulled in the direction of their length When the solder melts.

1. A sprinkler head link constructed of tivo plate members each having transverse groove at right angles Vto the morrimateV faces of the plates and constructed to con form one with one leg and the otherY with the other'leg of an 'angle bar. and an angle bar disposed in the slots so formedjand' a Vsolder joint betiveen'the proximate surfacesv of the plates,`the opposite end of each inember constructed and adapted to be attachedV to mechanism holding the link in tension and one of the legs Yof said angle bar being in shear. .j 5. In a sprinkler head link the combination of two plate members each having a transverse keyivay in their proximate faces,

the keyway in one of the plates being Wider Y than the keyvvay in the other plate, an L` shapedv key adapted toengageV loosely Within the said keyways, the longer leg of the' L and the angle formed by the shorter leg of the L therewith located Within` the larger keyivay of one of the plates, and tlie'remaining portion of the short Vleg of the key engaging the small keyway in the face of the other plate so that a longitudinal movement or' the pla-tes causes the corner of the said key to engage against the innerI surface of the larger transverse keyWay and the divergent ends of the legs of the key to engage one Within the smaller transverse keyvvay of the other plate and the other against the adjacent surface of the last named plate` 6. A fusible link comprising tivo mating plates each provided With means at one end to engage a cooperating part, said engaging ends extending in opposite directions when the parts are assembled, the said plates each having formed therein a depression Which when brought into alignment provides a keyivay, one of said depressions being of larger area than the other, in combination With a cooperating key on one side formed to loosely seat in the larger depression, and on the other side having a part to loosely seat in the other depression, With a portion of the key at that side lying on the inner lface of the plate.

7. A device of the kind described comprising mating plates each having formed therein a depression Which when the parts are assembled forms a substantially L- shaped key Way, in combination lwith a cooperating Lshaped key formed to loosely seat in the key Way, whereby as the plates are moved longitudinally one upon the other the key will disengage from the key way.

` 8. In a device of the kind described comprising mating plates each being provided with a recess which when the plates are assembled forms a key Way, the recess in one plate being longer than the recess in the other plate, in combination with a cooperating key formed to loosely fit Within the key Way to provide clearance for the ready disengagement of the parts When the plates are moved longitudinally one upon the other, a portion of the key at one side thereof eX- tending beyond the recess in the corresponding plate over the face thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 15th day of February, 1919.

CURTIS T. CLIFFORD. ln presence of- BRADLEY S. BENSON, P. S. PIDWELL. 

